How to find cool baby socks
Like the mini-humans that they are, babies require dressing up in order to move about in the world. Welcoming a new baby means buying multiple sets of diapers, onesies, baby dresses and pants, little shirts and sweaters, baby blankets, baby shoes and baby socks.
All of this shopping might seem like another chore added to the already busy schedule of a young parent, but it really doesn’t need to be this way. With the right attitude and the right guidance, dressing up your baby can be lots of fun, especially with all the delightfully cute looking baby clothes you’ll be browsing through.
There is, however, some knowledge required to discern through all the options available, since “cute” isn’t really the most important factor to consider when buying for the most precious person in your life.
First and foremost, we must pay special attention to the material the clothes are made of since babies have very sensitive skin and harder fabrics might cause irritations. Secondly, there’s size to consider as infants tend to grow very fast and all the various measurements might prove confusing.
All of the above should be kept in mind regardless of what apparel piece you’re shopping for, but we chose to narrow our scope to just socks for this buying guide since you can write whole books on baby clothing (which we recommend you buy and consult for expert advice).
How we chose the coolest baby socks
Material
Baby socks are generally made from cotton or a cotton blend. They both work equally fine and are pretty safe on the baby’s skin, although we recommend you take special care to check out that the chemicals used for coloring conforms to all FDA regulations.
Wool socks are best avoided since the hard fiber will likely cause itching. If you really need the extra insulation, use wool socks only over a soft polystyrene and acrylic linen.
Polystyrene can be as soft and comfortable as cotton while providing some extra durability. While it does have its downsides as a synthetic fiber, parents prefer polystyrene socks for outdoor activities, such as playing in the backyard or trips to the park.
Another synthetic material, acryl makes for particularly soft and lightweight baby socks, that are also warm and water repellant. If the coolest socks for babies is what you’re after then this material will prove right for you. This choice can keep a wide variety of bright colors and prints due to its chemical properties.
Allergens are a rather common problem, especially with synthetic fibers. You can’t really make out what your infant will be allergic to just by reading the product’s label, and that’s why it’s important to always check his or her skin for rashes or dermatitis an hour or so after trying out new clothing.
Fit
Whatever material you choose, make sure that the sock fits a little more loosely than what would be normal for an adult, since babies tend to be bothered by tight-fitting clothing.
A sock that’s either too small or too tight and squeezes on the toe can cause permanent damage if worn consistently. It can alter the shape of the feet since a baby’s bones are still soft and malleable.
Socks that are too big won’t impose the same type of problems but they can prove cumbersome to wear, always sliding down the foot, falling off or bunching up excess material around the toe.
Style
Choosing the right style and color for your baby’s socks will prove to be the fun part. There’s a good deal of variety to be found, enough to satisfy any parent’s tastes and preference.
In regards to style, you can choose between ankle socks, cuffed socks, lace-trimmed anklets, triple roll, crew socks and knee socks. Longer varieties are considered more elegant (as much as the term applies) and short socks are appreciated for their practicality, being easier to take off.
Laced anklets and ankle socks are generally preferred for girls, while crew socks tend to be considered more masculine, but most styles are equally suited for boys and girls, as long as the color is right.
For maximum effect, the sock style is generally matched with the outfit when dressing up. There are a lot of guides on to offer pointers as to how the best matches are made.
Colors and Patterns
From socks that feature lively colored superhero prints to thin white cottons fit for a little ballerina, there’s a huge variety to choose from.
Basic colors, which is to say pink for girls and blue for boys still hold on as classics, with some variation becoming popular in later decades. Besides pink, most girl outfits also match with purple or light violet, while dress up clothes for boys tend to go well with blue, bright red and gray. Patriotic parents can very well buy socks that feature all three.
Before deciding for socks with bright colors and patterns, it is important to check out that the material will hold well to washing. Acryl bonds very well to almost every dye, making it safe to wash at high temperature, while cotton is rather famous for letting colors run.
Socks for special occasions
Dress socks are specially made to go well with toddler’s suits and worn for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and religious services. They are thinner than everyday socks, made of materials such as cashmere or soft wool.
Just like their adult counterparts, they usually come in subdued colors, light browns, light grays, and whites, to go well with a formal attire. The price for this kind of socks might be a little steep, but most parents rarely buy more than one or two pairs.
Chunky socks, which are woven with multiple layers of thin fabric to give them extra firmness and mass, can also be found in baby size. While the extra material, usually cotton, will make them impractical to wear with a shoe, they are ideal for going over cold floors around the house.
Loading...
